Intrigue surrounds last four slots for $2.1 million TAB Eureka
by Adam Hamilton
The race for the four remaining slots in the world’s richest harness race, the $2.1 million TAB Eureka, will go down to the wire.
Six of the 10 slots are gone, but with just 10 days from today (Aug. 27) until the race, intrigue and debate surrounds the remaining slots for the Sept. 6 race at Menangle in Sydney.
Many expected last week’s racing across three key tracks — Melton, Menangle, and Albion Park — to make things clearer, but some upsets and flops only served to muddy the waters.
The six confirmed runners with slots now are: Bay Of Biscay (Soho Standardbreds slot), Fighter Command (Tasracing), Hesitate (John Singleton), Fate Awaits (Cordina Racing), Seathestars (John Singleton), and Call To Order (Racing Queensland).
That leaves the slots held by Kevin and Kay Seymour, Danny and Jo Zavitsanos (Team Zav), Summit Bloodstock/Aaron Bain Racing, and race sponsor, TAB.
What’s clear is the first three of those slots have strong stable connections; Team Zav and Summit/Bain with the powerhouse Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin stable, and Kevin and Kay Seymour with Grant and Trista Dixon.
Both stables are set to dominate the TAB Eureka, at least numbers-wise, between them.
Team Dixon already has two runners — both owned by the Seymours — in Fate Awaits and Call To Order.
There is a huge chance they will have a third with the Seymours considering Path To Greatness, Cool And Classy, and Charge Ahead.
“If we were to go outside of one of Grant and Trista’s, and not take a horse we own, the only one would be Trent Dawson’s 3-year-old French Fries,” Kevin Seymour said. “He was stunning winning his Qbred final last Saturday week and Trent said he’s gone to a whole new level. We’re very close to Trent through our farm [Egmont Park]. We’re looking seriously at French Fries.”
Stewart and Tonkin, who trained former star mare Encipher to win the inaugural 2023 TAB Eureka, set a record for one stable with three of the 10 runners in last year’s race. They finished second (Bay Of Biscay), third (High Above), and sixth (Major Delight).
Although Bay Of Biscay returns and is their only confirmed runner so far, you can take it to the bank Team Zav and Summit/Bain will take Stewart and Tonkin-trained pacers.
Team Zav owns two of the major contenders vying for the remaining slots in exciting 3-year-old Fox Dan and the ultra-consistent and seasoned 4-year-old War Dan Buddy. Both were impressive last start winners.
Summit/Bain could take the other, but will also be looking closely at stablemates Go Miki, an untapped 3-year-old, and the rejuvenated Miki To Success, who stunningly won a key lead-up race, the Racenet Discovery Stakes, at Menangle last Saturday night.
Both slot holders unashamedly admit they rely heavily on the recommendations of Stewart and Tonkin.
“No decision and there probably won’t be until after next weekend,” Stewart said. “Fox Dan and War Dan Buddy will go around again Saturday night [Aug. 30 at Melton], while Miki To Success was fantastic [winning] at Menangle and Go Miki looked good at Melton [winning again].
“There’s really not much between them all. It’s a good problem to have.”
Harness Racing Australia CEO Andrew Kelly confirmed the final cut-off for slot owners is Monday [Sept. 1].
“Presuming some contenders will race Saturday night, it gives everyone a day to see how they’ve come through before locking things in,” he said.
So, that leaves the TAB slot as the one true “wildcard” as the race draws closer.
TAB, which uses its slots to promote its brand, has usually locked in a runner in all its slot races well before now.
Insiders say they had all but sealed a deal going into last Saturday night’s racing, but their “chosen” pacer didn’t fire and has sent them scrambling back to the decision table.
Going purely on what we saw last weekend, if Miki To Success isn’t “quarantined” for the Summit/Bain slot, it would be a no-brainer for TAB to take the 4-year-old.
His odds to win the TAB Eureka were slashed from $21 to $8 (for a $1 bet) after he sat parked, smashed the clock, and won running away by 16 meters in a career-best performance.
If TAB did take Miki To Success, it would open the door for Stewart and Tonkin to break their own record and have four runners.
One record that has already been smashed is the number of 3-year-olds who will contest the race, which is restricted to Australian-bred 3- and 4-year-old pacers.
Two 3-year-olds ran in 2023 and finished seventh (The Lost Storm), and ninth (Captain Hammerhead), but Bay Of Biscay turned it around last year, when, as the only 3-year-old in the field, he flashed home for a luckless second.
Already three of the six confirmed runners are 3-year-olds in Hesitate, Fate Awaits and Seathestars.
Of the key remaining contenders, three at the very top of considerations, Fox Dan, Go Miki and French Fries, are 3-year-olds.
So, it looks certain at least half the field (five of the 10 starters) will be 3 and it could even stretch to six.
Much of the attraction of taking a 3-year-old is the preferential barrier draws (post positions) they get, but that’s potentially diminished a lot if there are five or six of that age group in the race – meaning they’ll draw anywhere from 1 to 5 or 6.
LADBROKES ULTIMATE DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP WILL RETURN IN 2026
The hugely successful Ladbrokes Ultimate Driver Championship will return to Brisbane’s Albion Park early next year.
And the message is clear to any drivers, especially those based in North America, throw your hat in the ring immediately if you’re keen to be part of it.
Applications for slots close on Sept. 12 and prospective drivers need to be in talks with potential slot owners before then.
Some of the best harness drivers from around the world, headed by Dexter Dunn and Yannick Gingras from the U.S. and Swedish great Bjorn Goop, headlined the inaugural series in February, this year.
The star-studded 10 driver line-up sparked record-breaking betting turnover and passionately strong crowds across the two nights and 20 races of the series.
It delivered a career highlight for top young local driver Angus Garrard, the youngest driver in the series, who upstaged his famous rivals to win the title.
Total turnover across the two meetings (Feb. 21 and 22) this year was $6.8 million, an increase of 83 per cent against the same meetings the previous year.
“It was a no-brainer to bring it back,” Racing Queensland senior harness racing manager Andrew Clarke said. “We’ve really landed on something special with this series. The series brought together owners, trainers, drivers, punters, and fans like nothing we’ve seen before.
“We were swamped with submissions for slots last year, so we increased the cost from $20,000 to $30,000 and boosted the overall prize money of the series from $250,000 to $350,000.
“Given how much the slot owners enjoyed this and how many missed out, we’re confident demand will be very strong again.
“The same goes for drivers. Yes, we had an incredible line-up, but we also had drivers from across Australia, New Zealand, the U.S., and Europe wishing they were part of it and saying they’d throw their hat in the ring again next time.”
The next Ladbrokes Ultimate Driver Championship, scheduled for Feb. 20 and 21, will carry a $125,000 prize to the winner, consisting of $110,000 cash and a $15,000 Nutrien Equine sales voucher to use at the Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale the day after the series.
